List_of_monitors_of_the_United_States_Navy

List of monitors of the United States Navy

This is a list of all monitors of the United States Navy. While the most famous name is represented in this list, many monitors held multiple names during their service life. To view the complete list of names, click United States Navy monitors.

The whole category of warship took its name from the first of these, Monitor, designed in 1861 by John Ericsson. They were low-freeboard, steam-powered ironclad vessels, with one or two rotating armored turrets, rather than the traditional broadside of guns. The low freeboard meant that these ships were unsuitable for ocean-going duties and were always at risk of water entering the ship and causing flooding and possible loss, but it reduced the amount of armor required for protection.

They were succeeded by more seaworthy armored cruisers and battleships.

River monitors

Ozark

Neosho class monitors

Neosho
Osage

Marietta class monitors

Harbor monitors

Roanoke

Casco class monitors

Coastal monitors

Monitor

Passaic class monitors

Canonicus class monitors

Milwaukee class monitors

Seagoing monitors

Miantonomoh class monitors

Kalamazoo class monitors

"New Navy" monitors

The first five of these were ostensibly rebuilds of Civil War era monitors (in much the same way that the 1854 sloop-of-war Constellation was ostensibly a refit of the 1797 sail frigate Constellation). In fact, they were entirely new ships, much larger and more capable than the previous ones.